NONE of the sex offenders cleared to work with children is based in Coventry or Warwickshire schools.

A government review earlier this year showed that more than 80 sex offenders from around the country hadn't been included on list 99, which is the list of those considered unsuitable to work with children.

Some had been cleared to work in schools despite having a minor sex offence, some were on the sex offenders' register but not list 99 and some had committed their offences so long ago they were on neither list.

Coventry City Council bosses say there is nobody with a conviction for a sex or violence offence working in any of the city's state-funded schools.

Warwickshire County Council has given a similar guarantee.

The assurances were obtained by the Evening Telegraph under the Freedom of Information Act.

Warwickshire County Council's strategic director for children, young people and families Marion Davies said: "We carefully follow all the checks that have been devised to safe-guard children and we are not aware of any sex offenders working in our schools.

"If we were to learn of any, we would take action immediately. We enjoy close links with the police and are confident that the system has worked since its introduction in 2002.

"We work closely with the Department for Education and Skills to ensure that the council and schools in the county implement their directives."

As a result of the review, new regulations are coming in. Anyone working with children who is cautioned or convicted for a sex offence against a child, however minor, will go on list 99.

Ministers will no longer be able to consider the circumstances and decide to leave some people off the list if their offence was minor.